Red Sox continue dominance against Orioles

Red-hot Kevin Youkilis helped the Boston Red Sox blow open a
tight contest in the middle innings en route to 13-4 trouncing
over the Orioles on Saturday.

Julio Lugo added four hits and David Ortiz scored three runs for
Boston, which knocked out Baltimore starter Steve Trachsel in
the fifth inning and pounded a trio of relievers.

"We knew this game was going to happen," Orioles manager Sam
Perlozzo said. "I knew this was going to happen sooner or later
if we kept going to the pen like we did. Once you've got your
long guy in there, if you plan on tying the ballgame, you're in
trouble. They were in situations where they needed to be in the
game."

After the Orioles rallied for three runs to tie the game, 4-4,
in the sixth, Boston regained the lead for good in the bottom of
the frame and never looked back.

Jason Varitek was hit by a pitch from Baltimore reliever Jon
Leicester to open the inning and moved to second on sacrifice by
Coco Crisp. After the second out was recorded, Lugo singled
and moved Varitek to third.

Youkilis, who is 11-of-21 with a home run and six RBI in his
last five games, followed with an RBI-single to plate Varitek
with the go-ahead run.

Boston blew the game open an inning later.

Leicester walked the bases loaded to start the seventh, before
leaving with a right shoulder injury. Todd Williams struck out
Varitek and recorded the second out on an RBI groundout by
Crisp. Alex Cora made it 8-4 with a two-run single to right,
marking the first time this season a Boston pinch hitter had
driven in a run.

The Red Sox continued to hammer Baltimore pitching in the eighth
as J.D. Drew, Lugo, Mike Lowell, Varitek and Youkilis drove in
runs off Williams to extend the lead to 13-4.

"You're throwing a lot of pitches," Perlozzo said. "It's not
tough on me, it's tough on the guys. Sometimes you've just got
to sit out there. Someone has to suck it up once in a while
when the pen needs a rest."

Javier Lopez (1-0), who was recalled from Class AAA Pawtucket on
Friday, picked up the win, pitching one inning in relief of
starter Curt Schilling.

Leicester (0-1) took the loss after allowing four runs, two hits
and three walks in 1 2/3 innings.

Baltimore miscues in the fifth inning allowed Boston to take a
three-run lead.

Dustin Pedroia reached first base safely to start the inning
when first baseman Aubrey Huff was unable to handle a throw from
third baseman Melvin Mora. Pedroia moved to third after a balk
by Baltimore starter Trachsel and a sacrifice by Lugo.

Trachsel walked Youkilis to put runners on the corners before
Ortiz dropped an RBI double down the left field line.

Manny Ramirez followed with a double to left that plated
Youkilis and Ortiz to give Boston a 4-1 advantage. The Boston
left fielder improved his career RBI total to 1,539, moving past
Joe DiMaggio (1537) and into a tie with Harry Heilmann for 39th
all-time.

Trachsel was replaced by Leicester, who prevented further damage
by getting Drew to popout and Mike Lowell to flyout.

In 4 1/3 innings, Trachsel allowed four runs - three earned -
and five hits. The righthander also allowed four walks and
struck out a batter.

"He threw a lot of pitches in (the fourth) inning and they kind
of got him the next inning," Perlozzo said.

The Orioles responded in the top of the sixth and ended
Schilling's day.

Singles by Miguel Tejada, Ramon Hernandez and Huff loaded the
bases to open the inning. Schilling struck out Mora before
allowing an RBI single to Jay Gibbons, who was 3-for-3 in the
game.

Jay Payton forced in a run with a walk and ended the day for
Schilling, who was clearly frustrated with the strike zone of
home plate umpire Chris Guccione.

"Well, (Guccione) missed a couple," Schilling said. "He is a
good umpire but that was a huge part of the game and I made the
pitch. I mean, it's frustrating, yeah, but it happens."

Schilling allowed four runs allowed, nine hits and two walks
while striking out four in 5 1/3 innings.

This was Schilling's first start since he posted a public
apology on his personal blog earlier this week after he took
some well-publicized verbal shots at San Francisco Giants
slugger Barry Bonds.

"I thought (Schilling) threw a lot of first-pitch strikes," Red
Sox manager Terry Francona said. "He was pitching a heck of a
game and he had to because it allowed us to get to their bullpen
and then do some damage because we weren't doing a whole lot
early."

With Lopez on the mound, Corey Patterson followed with a
groundout that scored Huff and tied the game. Brian Roberts
grounded out and end the inning.

Schilling said he was pleased by the effort of the Boston
bullpen, which included 1 2/3 scoreless innings from Hideki
Okajima.

"It's a 4-4 game and the bullpen comes in and does what it has
done all year," Schilling said. "(Lopez) kept the bleeding to
a minimum and (Okajima) was once again himself and it was an
awesome job. And then we just opened it up."